List of Justices of the High Court of Australia

The following table contains the details of the 44 men and four women who have ever been appointed as Justices of the High Court of Australia. The High Court of Australia was formed in 1903 under the Judiciary Act 1903, and under Section 71 of the Australian Constitution the judicial power of the Commonwealth of Australia is vested in the Court.[1] Since the passing of the Australia Act 1986, the court has been the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy.

The court is currently composed of seven judges, including six puisne justices and the Chief Justice of Australia. The current judges are listed in bold on the table below. The most recent appointments to the court are Chief Justice Robert French, formerly a judge of the Federal Court of Australia, and Justice Virginia Bell, formerly of the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Chief Justice French, whose appointment was announced on 30 July 2008, replaced Chief Justice Murray Gleeson, who retired on 31 August 2008.[2] Justice Bell replaced Justice Michael Kirby, who retired on 2 February 2009. Appointments made since 1977 are until the mandatory retirement age of seventy. Before 1977, appointment was for life. As the workload of the Court has steadily increased, several Justices have retired before reaching the mandatory retirement age.

13 politicians, serving or former, have been appointed to the High Court of Australia. Nine justices have served in the Parliament of Australia: Edmund Barton, Richard O'Connor, Isaac Isaacs, H. B. Higgins, Edward McTiernan, H. V. Evatt, John Latham, Garfield Barwick and Lionel Murphy. All but Evatt were appointed after their parliamentary service; Evatt resigned from the bench in order to pursue his federal political career, although he had previously served in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. In addition to the above, four justices served in colonial parliaments: Samuel Griffith, Charles Powers, Albert Piddington and Adrian Knox, although all concluded their political careers more than 10 years prior to their appointments. No justice since Lionel Murphy has served in state or federal parliament.

Contents

List of Justices


# Name State Birth/Death Term of
Service as Justice		 Term of
Service
as Chief Justice		 Prime Minister at appointment Prior judicial experience Reason for
leaving
1 Sir Samuel Walker Griffith Queensland 1845–1920 5 October 1903–17 October 1919 5 October 1903–17 October 1919 Deakin Chief Justice of Queensland; former Queensland MLA, former Premier of Queensland Retired
2 Sir Edmund Barton New South Wales 1849–1920 5 October 1903–7 January 1920 (none) Deakin None; MHR, Prime Minister of Australia Died in office
3 Richard Edward O'Connor New South Wales 1851–1912 5 October 1903–18 November 1912 (none) Deakin None; Senator, Vice-President of the Executive Council Died in office
4 Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs Victoria 1855–1948 12 October 1906–21 January 1931 2 April 1930–21 January 1931 Deakin (Justice)
Scullin (Chief Justice)		 None; MHR, Attorney-General of Australia Resigned to become Governor-General of Australia
5 Henry Bournes Higgins Victoria 1851–1929 13 October 1906–13 January 1929 (none) Deakin None; MHR, former Attorney-General of Australia Died in office
6 Sir Frank Gavan Duffy Victoria 1852–1936 11 February 1913–1 October 1935 22 January 1931–1 October 1935 Fisher (Justice)
Scullin (Chief Justice)		 None; King's Counsel Retired
7 Sir Charles Powers Queensland 1853–1939 5 March 1913–22 July 1929 (none) Fisher None; Crown Solicitor, former Queensland MLA Resigned
8* Albert Bathurst Piddington New South Wales 1862–1945 6 March 1913–5 April 1913 (none) Fisher None; barrister, former NSW MLA Resigned
9 Sir George Edward Rich New South Wales 1863–1956 5 April 1913–5 May 1950 (none) Fisher Supreme Court of New South Wales Resigned
10 Sir Adrian Knox New South Wales 1863–1932 18 October 1919–31 March 1930 18 October 1919–31 March 1930 Hughes None; King's Counsel, former NSW MLA Resigned
11 Sir Hayden Erskine Starke Victoria 1871–1958 5 February 1920–31 January 1950 (none) Hughes None; King's Counsel Resigned
12 Sir Owen Dixon Victoria 1886–1972 4 February 1929–13 April 1964 18 April 1952–13 April 1964 Bruce (Justice)
Menzies (Chief Justice)		 None; King's Counsel Retired
13 Herbert Vere Evatt New South Wales 1894–1965 19 December 1930–2 September 1940 (none) Scullin None; King's Counsel, former NSW MLA Resigned to enter Federal Parliament
14 Sir Edward Aloysius McTiernan New South Wales 1892–1990 20 December 1930–12 September 1976 (none) Scullin None; MHR, former NSW Attorney-General Retired
15 Sir John Latham Victoria 1877–1964 11 October 1935–7 April 1952 11 October 1935–7 April 1952 Lyons None; former MHR, former Attorney-General of Australia Retired
16 Sir Dudley Williams New South Wales 1889–1963 15 October 1940–31 July 1958 (none) Menzies Supreme Court of New South Wales Resigned
17 Sir William Flood Webb Queensland 1887–1972 16 May 1946–16 May 1958 (none) Chifley Chief Justice of Queensland Resigned
18 Sir Wilfred Kelsham Fullagar Victoria 1892–1961 8 February 1950–9 July 1961 (none) Menzies Supreme Court of Victoria Died in office
19 Sir Frank Walters Kitto New South Wales 1903–1994 10 May 1950–1 August 1970 (none) Menzies None; King's Counsel Resigned
20 Sir Alan Russell Taylor New South Wales 1901–1969 3 September 1952–3 August 1969 (none) Menzies Supreme Court of New South Wales Died in office
21 Sir Douglas Ian Menzies Victoria 1907–1974 12 June 1958–29 November 1974 (none) Menzies None; Queen's Counsel Died in office
22 Sir William John Victor Windeyer New South Wales 1900–1987 8 September 1958–29 February 1972 (none) Menzies Queen's Counsel Retired
23 Sir William Francis Langer Owen New South Wales 1899–1972 22 September 1961–31 March 1972 (none) Menzies Supreme Court of New South Wales Died in office
24 Sir Garfield Edward John Barwick New South Wales 1903–1997 27 April 1964–11 February 1981 27 April 1964–11 February 1981 Menzies None; MHR, former Attorney-General of Australia Retired
25 Sir Cyril Ambrose Walsh New South Wales 1909–1973 20 September 1969–29 November 1973 (none) Gorton Supreme Court of New South Wales (New South Wales Court of Appeal) Died in office
26 Sir Harry Talbot Gibbs Queensland 1917–2005 4 August 1970–5 February 1987 12 February 1981–5 February 1987 Gorton (Justice)
Fraser (Chief Justice)		 Federal Court of Bankruptcy; Supreme Court of Queensland Retired
27 Sir Ninian Martin Stephen Victoria 1923 –. 1 March 1972–11 May 1982 (none) McMahon Supreme Court of Victoria Resigned to become Governor-General of Australia
28 Sir Anthony Frank Mason New South Wales 1925 –. 7 August 1972–20 April 1995 6 February 1987–20 April 1995 McMahon (Justice)
Hawke (Chief Justice)		 Supreme Court of New South Wales (New South Wales Court of Appeal); former Solicitor-General of Australia Retired
29 Sir Kenneth Sydney Jacobs New South Wales 1917 –. 8 February 1974–6 April 1979 (none) Whitlam Supreme Court of New South Wales (New South Wales Court of Appeal) Resigned
30 Lionel Keith Murphy New South Wales 1922–1986 10 February 1975–21 October 1986 (none) Whitlam None; Senator, Attorney-General of Australia Died in office
31 Sir Keith Arthur Aickin Victoria 1916–1982 20 September 1976–18 June 1982 (none) Fraser None; Queen's Counsel Died in office
32 Sir Ronald Darling Wilson Western Australia 1922–2005 21 May 1979–13 February 1989 (none) Fraser None; Solicitor-General of Western Australia Resigned
33 Sir Francis Gerard Brennan Queensland 1928 –. 12 February 1981–21 May 1998 21 April 1995–21 May 1998 Fraser (Justice)
Keating (Chief Justice)		 Federal Court of Australia Retired
34 Sir William Patrick Deane New South Wales 1931 –. 25 June 1982–11 November 1995 (none) Fraser Federal Court of Australia Resigned to become Governor-General of Australia
35 Sir Daryl Michael Dawson Victoria 1933 –. 30 July 1982–15 August 1997 (none) Fraser None; Solicitor-General of Victoria Resigned
36 John Leslie Toohey Western Australia 1930 –. 6 February 1987–2 February 1998 (none) Hawke Federal Court of Australia Resigned
37 Mary Genevieve Gaudron New South Wales 1943 –. 6 February 1987–31 January 2003 (none) Hawke None; Solicitor-General of New South Wales Resigned
38 Michael Hudson McHugh New South Wales 1935 –. 14 February 1989–1 November 2005 (none) Hawke Supreme Court of New South Wales (New South Wales Court of Appeal) Retired
39 William Charles Montague Gummow New South Wales 1942 –. 21 April 1995–. (none) Keating Federal Court of Australia —
40 Michael Donald Kirby New South Wales 1939 –. 6 February 1996–2 February 2009 (none) Keating Supreme Court of New South Wales (President of the New South Wales Court of Appeal) Retired
41 Kenneth Madison Hayne Victoria 1945 –. 22 September 1997–. (none) Howard Supreme Court of Victoria (Victorian Court of Appeal) —
42 Ian David Francis Callinan Queensland 1937 –. 3 February 1998–31 August 2007[2] (none) Howard None; Queen's Counsel Retired
43 Anthony Murray Gleeson New South Wales 1938 –. 22 May 1998–29 August 2008[3] 22 May 1998–29 August 2008[3] Howard Chief Justice of New South Wales Retired
44 John Dyson Heydon New South Wales 1943 –. 1 February 2003–. (none) Howard Supreme Court of New South Wales (New South Wales Court of Appeal) —
45 Susan Maree Crennan Victoria 1945 –. 1 November 2005–. (none) Howard Federal Court of Australia —
46 Susan Mary Kiefel Queensland 1954 –. 4 September 2007–. (none) Howard Federal Court of Australia —
47 Robert Shenton French Western Australia 1947 –. 1 September 2008–.[3] 1 September 2008–.[3] Rudd Federal Court of Australia —
48 Virginia Margaret Bell New South Wales 1951 –. 3 February 2009–.[4] (none) Rudd Supreme Court of New South Wales (New South Wales Court of Appeal) —

* Albert Piddington resigned from the High Court before being sworn in. He never sat on the High Court bench.

Current Justices

Name State Date appointed Mandatory retirement Prime Minister at time of appointment Previous judicial posting
Chief Justice Robert French WA 1 September 2008 19 March 2017 Rudd (ALP) Federal Court of Australia
Justice William Gummow NSW 21 April 1995 9 October 2012 Keating (ALP) Federal Court of Australia
Justice Kenneth Hayne Vic 22 September 1997 5 June 2015 Howard (Liberal) Supreme Court of Victoria
Justice John Dyson Heydon NSW 1 February 2003 1 March 2013 Howard (Liberal) Supreme Court of New South Wales
Justice Susan Crennan Vic 1 November 2005 1 July 2015 Howard (Liberal) Federal Court of Australia
Justice Susan Kiefel Qld 4 September 2007 17 January 2024 Howard (Liberal) Federal Court of Australia
Justice Virginia Bell NSW 3 February 2009 7 March 2021 Rudd (ALP) Supreme Court of New South Wales

Composition of the High Court

This chart illustrates the composition of the High Court. It indicates the seven seats of the court, and who has occupied each seat at different points in the court's existence. The red portions represent the future part of a judge's term, and show the date at which they are bound to retire from the court (although they may choose to retire before that date). The blue portions of a judge's term show a period in which that judge was Chief Justice.


See also

References

  1. ^ Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, s 71 ("Judicial power & courts"). From Australian Legal Information Institute (AUSTLII), "Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act: Chapter III: The Judicature: Section 71". Accessed 26 January 2007.
  2. ^ a b "Callinan retires from High Court", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 31 August 2007. Accessed 31 August 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d Australian Broadcasting Corporation, "Chief Justice honoured at retirement ceremony", 29 August 2008. Accessed 30 August 2008.
  4. ^ The Australian, "Michael Kirby leaves High Court bench with 'faith' in law intact", 2 February 2009. Accessed 2 February 2009.

External links